Death = Life

I wrote this for an English assignment answering the following question. 

Does ones philosophy (system of beliefs) about death affect how they live? 

For many people, their beliefs on death do affect how they live.  Some people who believe in Heaven live their lives hoping and praying that they would be good enough to get there.  Others who don’t believe there is anything after this life, party and “live it up” while they can. As for me, I believe that both Heaven and Hell exist.  

I know I’m going to Heaven when I die. In the Bible it says, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Jesus died for me.  He took my place.  It should’ve been me dying on that cross, paying for my own sin.  Now, if Jesus just died and never rose again, He wouldn’t have conquered death.  But He did.  And that is why it is possible for people like you and me to be saved.  He was the perfect sacrifice, the Lamb of God. I believe this with all my heart.

Believing in this makes me want to be the best person I can be for Jesus.  I want the whole world to know of Him and how we can live in Heaven with the God of the Universe, Who loves us more than we can fathom.  

Paul is a great example of his belief on death affecting how he lived.  In Philippians 1 verses 23-26 he says, “I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.”

In those verses Paul says he would rather be with Jesus in Heaven, for that place is better, but he is wants to stay on Earth to spread the Gospel for the body of Christ.  He knew he was going to Heaven, and he definitely lived it out.  He didn’t misuse his time.  He knew how crucial it was for Him to preach the Word of God to those who didn’t know of it.  

I don’t want to waste my life.  I desire to live my life according to God’s Word to the best of my ability.  Of course, that’s impossible without God.  I want to make the most of every opportunity given, and to keep my eyes and heart open to anyone in need.  I want to show people the love of God.  I wish for His love to be seen in how I act with others, pouring out of my soul.  

I think that if you believe in God, you should either be a full out follower of Him, or  not believe at all.  God says this in Revelation chapter three.  “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. If I’m lukewarm, God is going to spit me out of His mouth.  Just thinking about this is very convicting, for I know I’m not where I need to be in my relationship with Him.  

Where you’re going to end up when you die should affect your total aspect on life.  Knowing that I’m going to Heaven gives me solitude, knowing that if I mess up or make a big mistake, God will still love and accept me.  I don’t have to say, “Oh darn, I messed up big.  I guess I’m not good enough for Heaven now,” like some people believe.  Although, I don’t think that my beliefs affect how I live enough.  I believe that both Heaven and Hell exist, but do I live it?  I need to get it through my head that our job on this Earth is to bring glory to God and to follow His commands and spread His name across the nations, not to bring glory to myself.  My goal is to live by these words in Galatians 2:20.  “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”  

So, the death of Jesus equals life for us, if you accept the gift.

Does death = life for you?

- Mallory

Attitude is Altitude

I recently finished a book called Life Without Limits by Nick Vujicic.  This book was written by a guy (Nick) who was born without limbs.  It’s the story of his life, and how he found his hope in Jesus.  This guy’s attitude amazes me.  He went from almost committing suicide by drowning himself, to being full of joy and excitement and loving life!  He really lives out James 1:2. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds." Nick has been through many trials.  One of his favorite sayings is, "Attitude is Altitude." You can see the joy and happiness he is feeling just in his face alone.  Reading this made me ashamed of my own attitude. It makes me wonder, do people see the joy of the Lord in me?  Would my attitude want them to follow Christ, or would it drive them from it? 

Nick travels all around the world as a motivational speaker sharing the gospel and his testimony.  I’ve watched one of his speeches on DVD, and God definitely gave him a way with words.  He has used him to touch many people’s lives, and inspired me as well.  

So, if you want a little inspiration from a really cool guy, you should read this book :)

Or, check him out at his websites!

NickVujicic.com
LifeWithoutLimbs.org
AttitudeIsAltitude.com

- Mallory


Psalm 118: 24 - "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

When I Meet You

This is a poem I wrote for English class. It basically is how I picture meeting Jesus someday =)

When I Meet You

I long for the day to run into Your arms

For You to keep me safe from harm

To see the brilliance of Your face

And feel the tenderness of Your grace.

I imagine myself running to You, someday

And when I see You I smile right away

Your manner flows over with abounding love

And Your face is so pure, just like a dove.

I’m getting closer now, with every bound

My heart flutters, my ears fill with sound

I see a brook shining bright like the sun

It’s like I’ve been asleep, and finally awakened!

I can see you now, with Your arms wide open

I want to call out to You in delight, but I’m so soft-spoken

The light shines around you with such splendor!

Oh Jesus! Father! Lord! To You I surrender!

By now I am but just a few feet away

My feet pause in their movement as I come to the gateway

I stand before You with a loss of breath and pride

You humble me as I stand oh so close to Your side.

In this moment, the veil over my eyes has been removed

And all doubts I’ve ever had have been disproved

Oh, just to bask in the light of You, my maker

You are God, Jehovah, the ultimate creator.

I had looked forward to seeing You face to face for years

So it’s really no surprise that I was wet through with tears

When I looked at You, You said one word to me. “Come!”

I drew a quick breath and beamed as I started to run.

Oh right now, in this moment, I run into Your arms

And You will keep me safe from harm

I'll see the brilliance of Your face

And feel the tenderness of Your grace.

When I finally reached You, joy overflowed me

Your inviting arms wrapped all around me

Nothing was better than that instant in time,

As I looked up at You and You said, “You are mine.”

- Mallory

Just Turn Around

Hmmm. Sin and forgiveness, how they go together.  Without sin we wouldn't need forgiveness.
 I think that this is a touchy issue for both believers and nonbelievers.  Just the concept that the God of this Universe has forgiven all the wrong-doings I have done, and will do, blows my mind.  I know of many young believers who struggle with this.  They think they have gone too far in the wrong direction for God to be able to pull them out.  Some people think they have messed up so bad  that the only way out is to end their life.  This is a little poem I wrote today dedicated to anyone who is feeling this way.

Just Turn Around

You think you are too far gone, but my friend you are so, so wrong.
This path you have chosen, has left you crestfallen, and your soul filled with nothing but terror.
"I've messed up big," you say.  "I'm tired of trial and error. The only way out is to end it all..."
But my friend  you are so, so wrong.

All this junk, all this garbage in your life.
You think you have to trudge through it all.
"I want to turn back! Really, I do! But the darkness behind me is too great!  It just isn't worth the work, the wait. My life isn't worth it. I'm not worth it. This life I have chosen is the life I shall have.  Jesus can't save me now. I'm too far gone..."
"But friend, if you would just stop grumbling and see what I see! Open your eyes; look behind you! I see Jesus! All you have to do is turn around!"

All you have to do is turn around.




Psalm 63:3
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.


Proverbs 19:23
The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.


Matthew 7:14
But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.


Psalm 119:37
Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.

- Mallory


p.S. - the picture at the top of the post I made myself for an English project.  The topic was "What do you want your digital footprint to look like when you leave high school?" I thought it went well with this topic :)

His Mark

This is a project I just finished for English class :).  I hope it makes sense!

         My mark. The mark that I leave will not be my own, because when people see the mark I have left, they will see Jesus and not me. If that is not what they see, then I haven’t accomplished anything. 

        My Lord and my God hung out with the low-lifes and the sinners, the adulteresses and the lame, the sick, and the people everyone else hated.  I want to be a friend to the friendless.  Everyone wants to be friends with the popular people, but they have so many friends, and so many others have none.  Jesus said in Luke 5:31 that it is not the healthy that need a doctor, but the sick.  If Jesus can touch just one person’s life through me, then I have succeeded.  I know of so many people in this school who suffer everyday alone, without a friend to talk to or lean upon.  Some have been hurt.  Scars lie upon their hearts.  Friends have foolishly broken their trust. And what do I usually do about it? Nothing.  I just stand off to the side like a coward, and watch these suffering souls as they cry out in desperate agony.

I know of a boy who wanted to die.  He thought people would appreciate him more if he was dead.  This boy and I are now very good friends, and that is because Jesus touched his life.  There were rough patches for sure, but it was all worth it so he could know the love of God.  This is my passion.  God has placed a deep hurt in my heart for people in emotional pain.  Just by saying a compliment to the new girl in the hallway, sitting at lunch with the kid who is too smart for everyone’s liking, or texting a hurting friend could make a difference in their day.  Maybe even their life.  I want to care for others more than I care for myself.  That’s what God calls us to do.  He calls us to love. And not just to love the lovable people; but the unlovable people as well.  This is what I strive for.  If God loves me in spite of my faults, and if He calls us to love, then shouldn’t I love everyone else as well? 

Now all of these things are easier said than done.  It takes courage to go against the norm.  God-given courage. There is a poem that I wrote where a boy displays this courage.  

The Line

For years there has been this line dividing the land. 

Fear.  We are in fear of crossing.  Crossing the line.  Crossing not just with our legs, but

with our hearts, minds, and souls.  Fear of being different.  Fear of not being like

everyone else.  Fear of standing out.  Fear of losing normality. 

What is normal?  Is normal doing what everyone else does? Is what everyone else does

normal?  Is there even such a thing as normal? Why do we all want to be alike, when

we all were made so differently?

The fear is greater still.  The fear of getting laughed at is so great, that we go out of our

way to be "normal." Who decides what normal is?  Why are we so afraid?  Do we care

what people think about us so much, that we will destroy our uniqueness?

The World.  It is full of sin, hatred, and people who strive their whole lives only to earn

what will not last.  Being normal.  Is it worth the work?  It's like working your whole life

for an ice cream cone that will melt as soon as the clouds go away, and the Son returns.

One day, everyone stood at the line.  Kids were making it a joke, saying, "Hey, who

wants to cross the line? I sure don't.  We have much more fun over here.  Anyone who

crosses the line is a loser.  Everyone knows that."

The kids laughed at the joke.  I laughed, not because it was funny, but because

everyone else laughed at it.  I was caught up in the normality as well.  My best friend

was sitting beside me.  I immediately stopped laughing when I saw his face.  He had a

unusually determined look.  I heard him whisper, "Lord, give me the strength," under his

breath.  He then took his arms, and began to pulI himself across the ground. All the

joking and talking ceased as everyone watched him drag his limp body across that line.

No one could believe that he crossed it.  Not one person had crossed that line in years.  

You could hardly tell that the line was there anymore, for it had been overgrown with

weeds, thorn bushes, and trash.

I was suddenly overwhelmed with emotions of all kinds.  I didn't know what to think.  I

was so proud to be the friend of someone who had the guts to cross that line.  But at the

same time, I was humbled to my knees.  Why hadn't I crossed the line with him? Why is

it that all of us healthy people were to afraid to cross, and someone who couldn't even

walk, had more strength?

While I was kneeling on the ground, in tears, everyone else had burst out in laughter,

thinking that this was some kind of joke.  I was infuriated.  How could they do this? 

It was at that point that I looked across the line.  I saw my friend on the other side flash

me one of his famous smiles.  I closed my eyes, took one step, and before I knew it, I

had crossed that line as well.  The word normal no longer existed in my vocabulary.

I want to do exactly what the boy in this poem did.  I want to cross over the line of  normality and be unique.  I want to be my own person, set my own goals, have my own opinion.  And most of all, I want to go against the status quo that popularity is all that matters.  Some people say that you can judge a person by how many friends they have.  Well, I disagree.  Somebody might be the most incredible person you would ever meet, but people never find that out because they are too quick to judge.  I am one of those people.

Jesus judges a person by their heart, not their looks.  It says so in 1 Samuel 16:7.

If Jesus can use me to touch the heart and souls of others, then so be it.  So, as you see, it will be HIS mark that is left, not mine. For I am just His servant.

- Mallory

Risk It

 This video was sent to me through email from Focus on the Family.  It is entitled "Do Something Risky With Your Life" by John Piper.  I recommend you watch this two minute video.  Listen especially to the ending.  He says, "You've got to have a flavor about your life that is risky and radical.  Different."

This last quote reminded me of a friend of mine.  He recently read the book "Radical".  I talked to him a couple days ago and he said, "I'm thinking radical right now."  Let's all think radical! Imagine what this world would look like if we all woke up from our slumbers in our perfect houses with our perfect lives and actually risked our perfect reputations for God's glory?! Hmm. I don't think you are imagining it.  I bet you just kept on reading after I said that. Well stop reading. Right now. And TRULY imagine.

What did you see?

What are some reasons that you don't take risks?

Some reasons I can think of are:

1. Fear
2. Reputation, wanting to withhold it.
3. We get too comfortable.  A friend once told me, "Life is just too short to get comfortable." Let's live like we believe that.

I would say that those are some of the biggest reasons that we as Christians don't take risks by looking for opportunities to share our faith, go over seas for missions, doing ministry in our own communities, inviting friends to church, sticking up for the kid being picked on... There are endless possibilities and opportunities where we can make a difference in someone's life.  Risk it! I mean, what have you got to lose? You've got the God of the Universe on your side, man! What else do you need?

I'm as guilty as anyone for being too comfortable.  Using "shyness" as an excuse for not talking to someone who needs it...  For example. You know when there are some days that you have to wake up early for work, school, or whatever reason, and you just lay in your bed because you're "too comfortable" to get up?  I think we get like that in our lives as well. 

 ^{Acts 15:25-27 says this:
25} So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— ²⁶ men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

They risked their lives people! Their LIVES!  That is a scary thought to think about.  These men were out dedicating their lives to Christ, sharing the gospel to everyone they met. Even put in prison! And here we are living the American Dream...Yikes.

I love these verses from 2 Corinthians 4.
⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

Isn't that so comforting? I find it so.  I will end with one last verse that I'm sure many of you know.
Psalms 23:4


⁴ Even though I walk
   through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
   for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
   they comfort me.

So don't be afraid to take risks.  God will be with you. And it will be so incredibly worth it in the end. :)

Think. Radical.



- Mallory

What I have learned...

 So this is the first time that I have blogged all summer.  So much has been going on and I just have a hundred things that I want to write all at once... First of all, I want to share this video with you.  At camp a couple of friends and I went to the retreaters' chapel while we were doing t3.  The speaker showed us this video. It was the first time I had ever seen it.  And I was touched to the core.  It made me feel like I have been wasting my whole life doing things that won't even matter in a couple years... This video is called "A Letter from Hell".  If you watch it I guarantee you will be convicted.

Another thing that I've learned this summer is to perform for God's glory. No matter what you are doing.  This summer in softball when I wouldn't get the compliments I wanted from my coaches I talked to my mom about it.  And she said, "Well you are playing for God's glory right? Not for the praise of the coaches."

And her saying that woke me up.

I wasn't giving God glory.  I just wanted to hear the praise from my coaches... But, once my mom opened my eyes, I tried to put every game into God's hands and knew I couldn't compete without Him, and that went a lot better after that.  I felt better about myself, knowing that no matter if my coaches don't compliment me, God was getting the glory, and that's what matters.  So yeah,  I want to be careful with my other sports this year and that God gets the glory. Not me. I need to have an all-glory-for-Him mentality.

Plus, I have seen a lot of answered prayers this summer concerning some friends. And that's been awesome to see.

Another cool thing I learned this summer is an analogy a counselor told me.  God's plan is like a quilt, and we are one of the patches.  All we can see are the loose strings and stitching on the underside, while God sees the masterpiece that the quilt is becoming.  I thought that was pretty neat :) :).

Another cool analogy I learned concerns the law and how some people think that following it saves you.  The purpose of the law is like a mirror, to show us our sin. But no matter how much you look into the mirror, you won't be made clean.  That is what Jesus is for.

At t3 we went through the book of Galatians.  The first chapter was the most powerful to me because of Galatians 1:10
"Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ."


Am I trying to please God?

Are you? 


- Mallory